Three Portland bike shops were noted as “Top 100 Shops” by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. The three shops are Bike N’ Hike, River City Bicycles and Bike Gallery. According to the magazine, they were chosen because they excel in three areas: market share, community outreach, and store appearance.
What really caught my eye is that these three shops have been in business for a combined total of 91 years and they’re all within less than 2 miles of each other!

props, but is it possible these shops grabbed “market share” because they have ridiculously high prices? i was desperate for a u-lock one day (forgot it), so wandered into the bike gallery. i had to buy a $30 lock that was ridiculously heavy, and turned out not to lock all that reliably. this problem was solved when i drunkenly left my bike downtown overnight one night, and poof! the next day it was gone.

i bought a whole other bike at citybikes for not much more than that shite u-lock.

i can empathize entirely with wanting to spend fewer bucks for bikes and bike-related stuff but it’s not just a matter of money that makes places like the Bike Gallery and River City such great bike shops. Both of those stores give back a lot to the cycling community in the form of rider sponserships, charitable donations, event support, and event coordination. The River City cross crussade is a nationally known cross series that provides cyclists with mud slinging fun during some of Portland’s gloomiest months. And the Bike Gallery consitently supports the efforts of organizations like the Community Cycling Center. i don’t know much about Bike N’ Hike so i can’t speak so forcefully on their behalf but i know that when I’ve gone to them asking for support, I’ve received it. while it’s easy to pick on a shop for being “the big bad capitalist” because they charge a price that includes room for profit, it should be noted that something so narrow should not be the only measure of a good business. i’m happy to see the these local shops get some good recognition!

I also have to say that I know the owners of all 3 of these shops, and they truly love biking. They ride their bikes, and they give a lot of money (and time, and even bikes) to make biking better in Portland. I hope folks will have the chance to meet Jay (of BG), Dave & Mark (of RCB), and Kevin (of BnH) out on the road and get to know them someday. They’re bike people, for reals.

These three shops deserve the recognition! They are not just a business run for profit, but a crucial part of moving the religion of cycling into the mainstream. The smaller shops are filled with really great people as well doing their part to get folks on muscle powered vehicles. All of them are what makes Portland so unique. We need to support all our local shops as each has something special to offer. Next time you are thinking about the cost of a bike, part or accessory in a shop… also think about the fact that when you purchase it (in any shop), you are helping the employees buy their groceries, pay rent or buy clothes for his/her children. These bike shops pump alot into our citizens lives and our economy, not to mention our great bikin’ city. I have learned in my many years here on planet earth that the greedy ones will be victims of bad karma and I see none of that in these local shops. We are fortunate that we have the large and the small… I try to support them.

[...] The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) has scored a huge win for kids in Oregon and Southwest Washington by securing 323 new bicycles for use in their Bicycle Safety Education programs. The highly discounted bikes were acquired from Giant Bicycles through a deal brokered by local bike retailer Bike N’ Hike. Bike N’ Hike, who was recently named a “Top 100″ retailer in the country, also assembled the bikes at no cost. [Lewis Elementary student on a Giant MTX.] [...]